The ambiguous atmosphere disappeared instantly.

He casually raised his hand to touch his chin.

He hadn’t shaved this morning, and the short stubble had grown in, feeling a bit prickly.

Jiang Yanyi cleared her throat, stirring the soup in the bowl with a spoon. “If you don’t drink the soup soon, it’ll get cold.”

Feng Shuo still didn’t reach for the bowl but instead gave Jiang Yanyi a glance.

Jiang Yanyi hated herself for understanding the meaning behind his look.

Thinking that after all, this was the man she had chosen, she might as well indulge him a little.

She scooped a spoonful of soup and fed it to Feng Shuo, who opened his mouth and drank it with satisfaction.

The soup had been sitting for a while, so it wasn’t too hot anymore.

The warmth was just right, with the fresh flavor of the duck and the sourness of the radish, which whetted the appetite.

He nodded. “The soup is good.”

Then, taking the bowl from Jiang Yanyi’s hand, he scooped a spoonful and tried to feed it to her.

Jiang Yanyi was overwhelmed with embarrassment, her skin prickling with goosebumps. “You drink it! I’ve already had some at the shop.”

Feng Shuo didn’t give up, so she had no choice but to take a sip, feeling as though she was marching to her doom.

Feng Shuo, seeing her expression of resigned defeat, placed the bowl on the desk beside him, pressing one hand on her back, forcing her to lean into his embrace.

With his other hand, he flicked her nose and teased, “Ungrateful, aren’t you? What’s there to reject? No one else in this world, aside from my mother, has ever been fed by me.”

The “ungrateful” person could only laugh awkwardly. “I’m overwhelmed by the honor.”

Jiang Yanyi didn’t visit often, and Feng Shuo, having finally regained his full sense of taste, finished off both the old duck soup and the duck neck.

After the meal, he said, “I’ve found a teacher for you.”

Jiang Yanyi remembered that she had previously mentioned to him about hiring a tutor for Chu Yangui.

She hadn’t expected him to take it seriously.

Her heart warmed, and she asked, “Which teacher is it? I’ll visit him personally tomorrow.”

Xizhou, being close to the frontier, had very few scholars.

Those with real talent had already been hired by high-ranking officials, leaving only those with mediocre skills, whom Jiang Yanyi didn’t dare to use.

Feng Shuo said, “Didn’t I take you to meet him the other day?”

Jiang Yanyi was momentarily confused before realizing that Feng Shuo was referring to the old man who sold wine in the plum grove.

“That old fellow may not have taught anyone for a few years, but he’s still knowledgeable. After all, he once held one of the three highest official positions, so teaching your brother should be more than enough.”

Feng Shuo spoke casually, but Jiang Yanyi was stunned speechless.

A man of such high status, one of the top three officials—most people would dream of being his student, and even top scholars might not get the chance.

Although Chu Yangui was her brother, she knew the limits of his academic abilities.

She had only hoped that Chu Yangui would read books, understand reason, and broaden his perspective so that he wouldn’t end up on a dead-end path.

She never expected Feng Shuo to secretly arrange for such an impressive figure to teach him.

She hesitated. “Yangui has never been very diligent in his studies. I’m afraid he won’t meet the old master’s expectations.”

The thought of such a learned elder teaching Chu Yangui made her more anxious than hopeful.

She worried that if Chu Yangui struggled with his studies, he would become even more discouraged, and it would also waste the talents of such a great teacher.

Feng Shuo reassured her. “Don’t worry. The old man is quite picky. If your brother were hopeless, he wouldn’t have bothered. He’s already visited your shop and personally agreed to teach. But for now, he’ll let Chi Qing guide him. In time, Yangui and Chi Qing will be like brothers under the same master, which is a good way to start.”

Even if Chu Yangui didn’t turn out to be a brilliant scholar, simply having Chi Qing as a fellow disciple would ensure that no one would dare look down on him if he became a strategist in the future.

Jiang Yanyi looked at Feng Shuo. “So the day you took me out of the city, it wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision. You had planned this all along?”

Seeing her reddening eyes, Feng Shuo cupped her cheek with his large hand. “Why are you crying? I didn’t do all this without expecting something in return.”

What he wanted was her.

From the beginning, it had always been her.

---

When Lu Linyuan returned home, it was already dark, and the lamps were lit.

He hadn’t felt anything after drinking a few cups of plum wine, but after walking through the wind and snow, the alcohol gradually took effect.

His usually pale cheeks were now tinged with red.

The silhouette of a woman could be seen through the silk screen as she busily moved around inside.

The servant, noticing this, didn’t follow him in, sensibly heading to the kitchen to warm himself by the fire.

Lu Linyuan pushed the door open and entered.

Jiang Yanxi was arranging the dishes on the table.

Upon seeing him, she immediately broke into a smile. “Brother Lu, you’re back.”

Outside, the cold wind howled, and the snow weighed heavily on the branches.

She stood under the lamp in a pale yellow jacket and skirt, resembling a delicate flower blooming in the harsh winter night—frail yet resilient.

Jiang Yanxi’s appearance wasn’t stunning at first glance, but once you remembered her face, you couldn’t forget it, especially her eyes, which were as clear and lively as a deer in the wild.

She stepped forward to take Lu Linyuan’s cloak and hung it on the wall.

Noticing the smell of alcohol on him, Jiang Yanxi’s expression dimmed for a moment, but she maintained her smile and asked, “Why are you back so late today, Brother Lu? I’ve reheated the food several times.”

Having drunk wine and walked in the cold, Lu Linyuan now felt a headache coming on as he warmed up inside.

He said, “I’m sorry, Yanxi. I couldn’t avoid it today and had a few drinks with my colleagues. In the future, if I’m late, just eat without waiting for me.”

Jiang Yanxi froze for a moment upon hearing this but still smiled, though there was a trace of bitterness in her eyes. “Haven’t I spent my whole life waiting for you, Brother Lu? When I was young, I waited to grow up and marry you. After entering the palace, I waited for the day you would take me away…”

A tear finally fell, but she quickly wiped it away and continued to smile. “Why talk about such things? I made your favorite Dongpo pork. You should eat.”

Seeing her like this, Lu Linyuan felt a pang of guilt.

Yet, for some reason, he suddenly thought of Jiang Yanyi.

Ever since she had come to Xizhou, she had faced equally desperate circumstances, but Jiang Yanyi never waited for anyone to help her, nor did she want to rely on others.

It seemed she would rather be a wild grass trampled into the mud, only to grow back, than be a vine clinging to someone else.

He looked at Jiang Yanxi and sighed, “Yanxi, you don’t need to do this for me.”

The person he had once loved but could never have now stood before him.

He should be happy, but seeing her living only for his sake, Lu Linyuan could not find any joy.

There were still so many things he needed to accomplish in this life.

If something happened to him, how could Jiang Yanxi continue to live like this?

Jiang Yanxi stood with her back to Lu Linyuan, gripping her chopsticks tightly.

Tears streamed down her face like broken beads, falling one after another. “Whatever you don’t like, Lu-ge, I’ll change it.”

His head throbbed with dull pain.

Hearing her words again, Lu Linyuan’s heart ached until it felt numb, leaving him with only exhaustion. “Yanxi, why don’t you understand? I just want you to be well. No matter what happens, be well. Do you understand?”

He stood up and headed for the door.

Jiang Yanxi called after him, “Lu-ge, where are you going?”

Feeling stifled and fearing she might misunderstand, he softened his tone as much as possible, “I’ve got a headache from the wind. I’m going to the washroom. You go ahead and eat.”

Jiang Yanxi sat at the table, looking at the feast laid before her but unable to eat a single bite.

Tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

She had faked her death to escape the palace.

Her father, Minister Jiang of the Ministry of Revenue, had forged official documents for her, making her identity seem legitimate.

As she traveled north, no soldiers had detected her.

She had believed that once she reached Xizhou and found Lu Linyuan, they could live happily ever after.

Although he was still gentle toward her, she could feel that he had become a stranger.

During her time on the run, she frequently had nightmares, dreaming of being caught and dragged back to the palace.

Sometimes, she even dreamed of Emperor Feng Shiyan forcing himself on her on the dragon bed.

Other times, she dreamed of him happily holding his newly born prince in his arms with his empress by his side, full of affection.

She didn’t understand why, even though she hated Feng Shiyan, the sight of him in her dreams being affectionate with his empress would tear her heart apart.

Jiang Yanxi bit the back of her hand and cried silently.

She didn’t want to dwell on these thoughts, but Lu Linyuan’s change in attitude from how he used to treat her filled her with deep anxiety.

From childhood until now, Lu Linyuan had been her reason for living.

Lu Linyuan soaked in the bath, his head still pounding.

Thoughts of the yamen, the war in the south, and secret letters from the Lu family in the capital swirled in his mind, making the pain even worse.

The door creaked open, and thinking it was Qingsong, his servant, Lu Linyuan wearily said, “Qingsong, come and scrub my back.”

But when a pair of soft, delicate hands touched his back, Lu Linyuan jolted and opened his eyes.

Turning his head, he felt his heart drop.

Jiang Yanxi was standing there, dressed only in a thin undergarment.

“What are you doing?” Lu Linyuan, both anxious and angry, was mostly heartbroken.

He quickly pushed Jiang Yanxi away.

Jiang Yanxi bit her lip and stepped into the bath, wrapping her arms around him. “Lu-ge, take me.”

Although she had been staying for a while, Lu Linyuan had always shared a room with his servant, Qingsong, and had left his own room for her.

He treated her with the utmost respect, never overstepping any boundaries.

Jiang Yanxi closed her eyes, pressing her face against Lu Linyuan’s broad back, tears streaming down her face. “If you don’t mind that I’m no longer pure, then take me. I will follow you for the rest of my life.”

They had once sworn eternal love to each other, privately pledging their lives together.

Jiang Yanxi believed she loved only Lu Linyuan, and by giving herself completely to him, she might sever all thoughts of the capital.

She only wanted to spend her life with the man she had fallen in love with in her youth.

The palace could be nothing more than a nightmare.

But Lu Linyuan shook her hands off. “What nonsense are you saying!”

He stepped out of the bath, hastily pulling a clean robe over Jiang Yanxi’s body.

Though his heart burned with anger, when he saw her tear-streaked face, all of his rage turned into deep sorrow. “Yanxi, I respect you. Don’t do this.”

Leaving those words behind, Lu Linyuan quickly threw on a robe and left the bathhouse.

Jiang Yanxi covered her face and sobbed.

She had bared her heart and taken such a bold step, yet Lu Linyuan remained unmoved.

She didn’t want to think about whether he rejected her because she was no longer pure or if he had simply fallen out of love.

That night, unable to face Lu Linyuan anymore, she quietly packed her things and left without a word.